Culture analysis and external interaction models of mycelial growth.

To investigate morphogenesis and in particular circularization mechanisms in young mycelia, we observe cultures of the zygomycete Mucor spinosus and develop discrete models of two-dimensional filamental branching growth. The models are based on the hypothesis that the fungus secretes a regulatory substance that diffuses into the surrounding medium and is detected by the growing hyphae. We also present a simple Markovian growth model without such a feedback, but yielding to analytical computations.